Taking on the DietBet Challenge
If you haven’t heard of DietBet, you soon will. I have been selected as one of the participants in the DietBet Challenge along with 6 other mom bloggers.
DietBet is a fantastic way to have fun, lose weight, and win money! You just Set up a free four-week game with friends to lose weight. {You decide if you want to lose 8 pounds or 4% of your starting weight.} Then decide how much money everyone “bets” and puts into the pot. At the end of 4 weeks, if you lose the weight, you WIN!
For this challenge, DietBet put $5,000 into the pot and let us pick our charities. They also let us decide how much of our winnings would go to charity. I love the idea of winning for someone else, so I was really excited when they approached me about this.
I selected St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital as my charity. And I also selected that they will receive 100% of my winnings. That’s right. I’m not keeping a penny for myself, I’m giving it all to them.
And that’s why I am so motivated to win this challenge. I want to see $5,000 go to St. Jude.
But I’ve got a long way to go, and I’m going to need your encouragement over the next 4 weeks.
Here are the other bloggers I am up against:
- Amanda Lonsdale and Amy Schirmer of Dilettante Club.
- Kathleen Canedo of Brutalism and also a member of the Dilettante Club.
- Amy Oztan of Selfish Mom and Momtourage.
- Kimberly Coleman of Foodie City Mom.
- Shari Simpson of Dusty Earth Mother.
I’ve got my work cut out for me, but I know I can do it!
Now, let’s get to the heart and soul of this post. The most difficult part for me: The numbers. The weigh in. The photos.
I had to find somewhere to get my official weigh-in for the challenge. Because I’m so far away from the other DietBet Challenge participants, I couldn’t just meet up with them and have my weigh-in done at the same time. Luckily, my local Blairsville Curves facility allowed me to come in and get weighed by one of their consultants.
Here’s the official weigh-in:
I’m officially cringing.
Did you catch that number? 213 pounds. I am sick to my stomach. When my husband and I were married in 2002, I weighed 100 pounds less than I do right now. 100 pounds in 10 years. Gasp.
Since I’ve already embarrassed myself with the video, I guess I can share the Day 1 photos:
Ugh. Those pictures make me sick to my stomach. When did I allow myself to get like this?
Obviously, I’ve got my work cut out for me. But I can do this, right?
I’m changing everything: eating habits, exercise frequency… you name it, I’m changing it.
Over the next 4 weeks, I will be keeping you updated in my challenge every step of the way. The only thing I won’t be doing is weighing in again. I’m waiting until the 4 weeks are up, and I will head back to my local Curves center for the final official weigh in.
But, you can certainly count on me to post different updates: new recipes I’ve found, exercises I like, and more. In fact, starting today, you will notice a whole new section of the blog entitled “My Weight Loss Journey.”
My goal for the next 4 weeks is 4% of my body weight – that’s 8.52 pounds. I KNOW I can do it. And I’m hoping I can do way more than that. Eventually, I’d like to be down to 150 pounds. Healthier than the 113 I was 10 years ago for my 5’9″ body frame, and just better for my overall health. Where I am now is just too big, and it’s got to change.
I hope you’ll join me over the next 4 weeks and watch my progress. If you have any weight loss tips, recipes you love, exercises I need to try… or just some encouragement, I would love to hear from you.
And if you’d like to start a challenge of your own, I would encourage you to round up some friends, decide how much you’ll throw into the pot, and start losing weight with DietBet!
Disclaimer: This Challenge is being sponsored by DietBet. I have been given the opportunity to win up to $5,000 for myself or my favorite charity.
You can do it, Angie! I know what it’s like to be in your shoes (almost anyway). Several years ago, both my mom and I set out to lose weight and with exercise, watching what I ate, and God’s grace, I lost around 60 pounds over a couple of years! I now feel SO much better.
I’ll be cheering for you.
Sarah recently posted..Happy New Year
Thank you so so much for your support! I ♥ hearing success stories, so you just made my day. I figure that it took me 10 years to put on this weight, so even if it takes me a while to get it off, at least I’m taking the step in the right direction.
Woohoo! Go girl! What a cool idea! You can do it! I am also 5’9″ and have been married 11 years, during which time I’ve gained at least 40 pounds (and yes, it makes me sick, too!!) 2012 is gonna be our year.
It is totally going to be our year.
I’m looking forward to losing the weight and just being a healthier me. Good luck to you as well! If you need a cheerleader, let me know. I’ll encourage you right back.
I’m really excited for you! I’ve considered getting myself accountable on my blog to what I’m eating… I fluctuate waaay too much, to too heavy and then I’ll do better for awhile. And I know it’s easy to say, “How did I let myself get like this” but remember you had babies! It is SO hard to maintain a decent weight when you’re pregnant, at least it was for me. I was hungry constantly or sick. Ugh. So have a little mercy on yourself but go for it and get to where you’re comfortable. Can’t wait to hear about your progress!
Lindsey@Kindred Spirit Mommy recently posted..Isaac is officially walking full-time!
Yeah, being pregnant 5 times in 9 years didn’t really help my weight issues. I was such a tiny little thing when we got married, but it wasn’t a healthy me. Now I want to do it right… and if I can lose weight and give lots of money to St Jude, I’m ok with that.
You go, girl! I appreciate how open and honest you always are, including about your weight … partly because the numbers you mentioned are so close to mine. I’m a bit under 200 lbs now, but I’m also 9 inches shorter, and my goal is also getting back down to 150 lbs. And my weight gain has all been since I got married too! Interesting how marriage seems to make weight loss/maintenance so much harder. Anyway, kudos to you for taking on this challenge. Looking forward to hearing about your progress and encouraging you along the way!
Kate a.k.a. Gwenelle recently posted..Who doesn’t love Legos?
Marriage and pregnancy have taken the ultimate toll – on both myself and my husband. I just want us to get to a healthier weight and improve our eating habits. It definitely can’t hurt anything.
Thanks SO much for your support through this. It helps being able to keep myself accountable to so many fabulous friends.
I totally sympathize with you. We started at roughly the same weight – when I started losing in October I was at 205. I lost fifteen pounds before starting the DietBet challenge and I have to say, just that first fifteen pounds feels great! I went down a pants size and I’m really motivated to get to the next one.
I’m sure you’ll do great. And it pains me to say that since we’re competing against each other.
Selfish Mom recently posted..So what do I eat on a 700 calorie day?
Angie – Good luck! Look forward to hearing about your successes along the way!
Hi Angie..Angie here! Just wanted to say I just read about this challenge and am wishing you the best. The best advice I can give is to drink a lot of water and exercise! Obviously eat healthy too and don’t cut your calories down to a dangerous level.
Since this is such a short time, I would say change up your workouts the entire time and eat very clean! Whole foods, nothing processed.
Looking forward to hearing about your experience.
Angie @ Losing It and Loving It recently posted..Special Friday Finds
This is going to be fun. St. Jude’s is a great charity and you seem like a lovely person. I hope that you meet your goal!